Recognizing and Responding to Heart Emergencies | CVI

Nobody wants a medical emergency to happen, especially to a loved one, however when it does, there are things you can do to help minimize the damage and give your loved one a better chance at recovery.

Recognize the Signs

Knowing the signs of the heart-related emergency can help you prepare for the paramedics and treat your loved one while you wait for their arrival.

Heart Attack

When the flow of blood that brings oxygen to a part of the heart muscle becomes blocked, a heart attack may occur. It is essential to seek medical attention immediately when this happens. The signs of a heart attack include:

• Chest pain is like pressure, tightness, squeezing, or aching.
• The pain spreads to the shoulder, arm, back, neck, jaw, teeth or sometimes the upper belly.
• The patient may have a cold sweat.
• The patient suffers from fatigue.
• They might experience heartburn or indigestion.
• They undergo lightheadedness.
• Sudden dizziness may occur/
• They feel nausea.
• They experience a shortness of breath.

Angina

Angina may be triggered by physical activity, stress, heavy meals, or extreme weather. While the symptoms may be relieved within 5 minutes, it’s still best to seek medical care immediately.

• The patient’s chest feels tight, dull, or heavy.
• In some women, the chest might have sharp pains, like a stabbing feeling.
• The pain is not localized. It may spread to the arms, neck, jaw, or back.

Prepare Yourself

The first thing to remember when your loved one is having a cardiac emergency is: “Don’t Panic.” Call 9-1-1, then take a deep breath to clear your head. Rushing around will just cause chaos and possibly frighten the person who is having the emergency. Once you are calm, you are ready to help not only your loved one, but the EMTs.

Prepare Your Loved One

Preparing a loved one for the arrival of an EMT is like arming them with a shield of readiness, a beacon of hope in times of uncertainty. The most important thing to do is to instill calm amidst chaos, to reassure them that help is on the way, and to remind them that in the hands of these heroes, safety and care await.

The first thing to do is to keep the loved one calm, if they are conscious, and try to stay with them as much as possible until help arrives. Review their medical history in your mind: have they had cardiac episodes before? Do they have medications for their heart? What signs are they showing? Are they conscious?

What to Do if Your Loved One Has Lost Consciousness

If they have lost consciousness, there are things you can try. If they aren’t breathing or you do not find a pulse, you should begin CPR to keep the blood flowing. Here is a great CPR guide by the Red Cross.

If Your Loved One Shows Signs of a Heart Attack

If your loved one is showing signs of a heart attack, adjust them into an upright position. The preferred one is a lazy W. If they have prescriptions, this is the time to get them to take them…whether it’s a GTN or nitroglycerin. If they become unconscious, start CPR and update the ambulance service that the situation has gotten worse. This will boost the priority.

Should your loved one not feel better, and are not allergic to aspirin, it’s a good idea to get them to chew and swallow a low-dose aspirin to help keep the blood from clotting. Do not do this if your loved one has been told never to take aspirin.

If Your Loved One Shows Signs of Angina

If your loved one is showing signs of angina, there are other steps to take. First, if they have been prescribed Glyceryl Trinitrate (GTN) spray or tablets, have them take it, then wait five minutes. If they continue to feel the pain or experience breathlessness, give them a second dose. As with a heart attack patient, if they’re not allergic to aspirin or forbidden from taking it, they can take 1 low-dose tablet. Chewing helps it go through the system faster.

In any case, make sure the paramedics know your loved one has had aspirin.

Prepare For the EMTs

For the best chance of your loved one’s survival, you want to make sure the EMTs can get to them and help them without interference. Here are some steps to make sure they can do their jobs more effectively:

• Unlock and open the doors.
• Check the path to your loved one and make sure it’s clear. This may involve moving furniture or clutter that will slow them down.
• If you have a pet, even if they are friendly, isolate them in another room. This will not only help prevent the paramedics from getting distracted but will also make sure the pet doesn’t escape through an open door.
• Write down a list of your loved one’s medications, allergies, and medical history.
• Plan for who is going to follow the ambulance.
• Pack some of your loved one’s personal items and take them with you. Don’t give them to the paramedics, as that will slow them down.